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Prachy

Cash

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Prachy is the most common Czech slang for money, used everywhere from pubs to casual texts with friends.

  • Means: Money, cash, or 'dough' in a very informal way.
  • Used in: Casual conversations, complaining about prices, or talking about salaries.
  • Don't confuse: Never use this in a bank or a job interview.
Dust (prach) + Plural suffix (-y) = Cash (prachy) 💸

Explanation at your level:

Prachy is a very common word for 'money'. It is slang. You use it with friends. It is like saying 'cash'. Do not use it with your teacher. It is always plural. For example: 'Mám prachy' (I have money). It is easy to remember because it is short.
Prachy is the informal version of 'peníze'. While 'peníze' is what you see in books, 'prachy' is what you hear in the street. It is a masculine plural noun. You will often hear 'Nemám prachy' when someone cannot go out. It's important to know this word to understand movies and songs.
In intermediate Czech, you'll notice that 'prachy' is used to express more than just 'money'. It can imply a large amount of wealth or the lack thereof. It's a 'plurale tantum', meaning it has no singular form. When you want to sound like a local in a pub, use 'prachy'. However, be careful with declension in the instrumental case—'prachama' is the colloquial form you'll actually hear.
Prachy represents the 'common' register of Czech (obecná čeština). It’s a perfect example of how Czechs use slang to bridge the gap between formal language and daily reality. At this level, you should be able to distinguish between 'prachy' and other slang like 'love' or 'vata'. 'Prachy' is neutral-slang, whereas 'love' is more street-level and 'vata' implies significant financial padding.
From a linguistic perspective, 'prachy' is an essential component of Czech sociolects. It demonstrates the historical influence of German 'Staub' on Prague's urban speech. Using it correctly requires a high degree of register awareness. It’s often used in idiomatic expressions like 'prachy v prachu' (money gone/turned to dust), showing a play on its literal and figurative meanings. Mastery involves knowing exactly when the shift from 'peníze' to 'prachy' signals a change in social intimacy.
The term 'prachy' serves as a fascinating case study in Czech diachronic linguistics and pragmatics. Its evolution from a literal descriptor of particulate matter to a ubiquitous financial slang term reflects the secularization and 'plebeianization' of the Czech language during the National Revival and subsequent industrialization. In contemporary discourse, its usage can be analyzed through the lens of 'linguistic economy' and 'in-group signaling'. A C2 learner should appreciate the subtle irony often embedded in its use, where the speaker acknowledges the material necessity of money while simultaneously devaluing it through the choice of a 'low' register term.

Signification

Informal word for money

🌍

Contexte culturel

Czechs often use 'prachy' to downplay their wealth. Even a wealthy person might say 'mám nějaký prachy' to avoid sounding boastful. In Prague, you might hear 'love' more often among younger generations, but 'prachy' remains the universal slang across all ages. The large Vietnamese community in Czechia uses 'prachy' fluently in their business dealings with locals, showing its essential nature for integration. In Czech 'Mánička' films (about the underground culture), 'prachy' is used to represent rebellion against the formal socialist system.

💡

The 'Ch' Sound

If you struggle with 'ch', imagine you are clearing your throat gently. It's the most important sound in 'prachy'.

⚠️

Not for Bosses

Even if your boss is cool, wait for them to use slang first before you use 'prachy'.

Signification

Informal word for money

💡

The 'Ch' Sound

If you struggle with 'ch', imagine you are clearing your throat gently. It's the most important sound in 'prachy'.

⚠️

Not for Bosses

Even if your boss is cool, wait for them to use slang first before you use 'prachy'.

🎯

The 'Hrozný' Combo

Pair 'prachy' with 'hrozný' (terrible) to sound like a true local complaining about prices.

Teste-toi

Fill in the correct form of 'prachy'.

Nemůžu jít do kina, nemám žádné ______.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : prachy

After 'nemám' (accusative), we use 'prachy'.

Which sentence is appropriate for a job interview?

Talking about salary:

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : Jaký je nabízený plat?

'Plat' is the formal word for salary; 'prachy' is too informal.

Complete the dialogue with the most natural slang.

A: Půjčíš mi na pivo? B: Sorry, jsem úplně bez ______.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : prachů

'Bez prachů' is a very common informal idiom for being broke.

Match the phrase to the situation.

Phrase: 'To stálo hrozný prachy!'

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : Paying an expensive car repair

'Hrozný prachy' implies a large, often painful amount of money.

🎉 Score : /4

Aides visuelles

Peníze vs. Prachy

Peníze (Formal)
Banka Bank
Smlouva Contract
Prachy (Slang)
Hospoda Pub
SMS Texting

Money Slang Levels

📖

Standard

  • • Peníze
  • • Finance
💬

Common Slang

  • • Prachy
  • • Love
💰

Rich

  • • Vata
  • • Balík

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

No, it's not a swear word. It's just very informal. You can say it in front of your parents, but maybe not your grandmother.

Usually, 'prachy' refers to money in general, but it often implies cash. However, saying 'mám prachy na účtu' (I have money in my account) is fine.

There isn't one for 'money'. 'Prach' only means 'dust'.

Yes, it is understood and used all over the Czech Republic, though some regions have their own local slang as well.

The most common way is 'Nemám prachy' or 'Jsem bez prachů'.

No, 'prachy' is more universal. 'Love' is more specific to certain subcultures or younger urban groups.

Yes! It's the perfect word for texting friends about splitting a bill.

It is masculine inanimate plural.

It's a metaphor for something common, dirty, or easily blown away. It's a very old slang tradition.

Informally, yes. 'Dostal jsem prachy' can mean 'I got my paycheck'.

Expressions liées

🔗

být ve vatě

similar

to be very rich

🔗

být švorc

contrast

to be broke

🔄

love

synonym

money (slang)

🔗

přijít k prachům

builds on

to come into money

🔗

smrdět prachama

specialized form

to be filthy rich

Où l'utiliser

🍺

At the pub with friends

Honza: Dáš si ještě jedno pivo?

Petr: Už ne, nemám prachy.

informal
👕

Shopping for clothes

Jana: Ty boty jsou skvělé!

Eva: Jo, ale stojí hrozný prachy.

informal
💼

Talking about a new job

Marek: Jak se máš v nové práci?

Lukáš: Dobře, jsou tam fakt dobrý prachy.

informal
💸

Lending money

Sára: Můžeš mi půjčit stovku?

Tom: Jasně, tady máš prachy.

informal
🧾

Complaining about bills

Táta: Zase přišel účet za elektriku.

Máma: To jsou pořád jenom prachy, prachy, prachy.

informal
🧥

Finding money in a jacket

Klára: Hele! Našla jsem v kapse prachy!

Filip: Super, jdeme na pizzu.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Prachy' as 'Pockets'. You put your prachy in your pockets.

Visual Association

Imagine a dusty old treasure chest. When you blow the 'prach' (dust) off, you find the 'prachy' (money) inside.

Rhyme

Máš-li prachy, nemáš strachy. (If you have money, you have no fears.)

Story

A poor man was sweeping dust (prach) in the street. Suddenly, the dust turned into gold coins. He shouted 'Prachy!' and ran to the pub to buy a beer for all his friends.

Word Web

penízeprachbohatstvíchudobaplatútrataměnakoruna

Défi

Try to use 'prachy' in a text message to a Czech friend today. Ask them: 'Máš prachy na kafe?'

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Pasta / Lana

The metaphors are different (food/clothing vs. dust).

French high

Fric / Thune

French slang often uses 'verlan' (backwards talk), which Czech doesn't do for money.

German high

Kohle / Kies

German has a wider variety of material-based slang for money.

Japanese moderate

Kane (金)

Japanese slang is often about removing politeness rather than using a different word.

Arabic high

Faloos (فلوس)

It is so common that it's almost lost its 'slang' status in some regions.

Chinese partial

Mao (毛)

Chinese slang often revolves around specific currency units.

Korean low

Don (돈)

Korean relies more on speech levels (honorifics) than slang synonyms.

Portuguese high

Grana

The metaphor is agricultural (seeds) rather than mineral (dust).

Easily Confused

Prachy vs prach

Learners use the singular thinking it's the base form for money.

Remember: Prach = Dust (singular), Prachy = Money (plural).

Prachy vs prášek

Means 'powder' or 'pill', sounds similar.

Prášek is for medicine or laundry; Prachy is for the pub.

FAQ (10)

No, it's not a swear word. It's just very informal. You can say it in front of your parents, but maybe not your grandmother.

Usually, 'prachy' refers to money in general, but it often implies cash. However, saying 'mám prachy na účtu' (I have money in my account) is fine.

There isn't one for 'money'. 'Prach' only means 'dust'.

Yes, it is understood and used all over the Czech Republic, though some regions have their own local slang as well.

The most common way is 'Nemám prachy' or 'Jsem bez prachů'.

No, 'prachy' is more universal. 'Love' is more specific to certain subcultures or younger urban groups.

Yes! It's the perfect word for texting friends about splitting a bill.

It is masculine inanimate plural.

It's a metaphor for something common, dirty, or easily blown away. It's a very old slang tradition.

Informally, yes. 'Dostal jsem prachy' can mean 'I got my paycheck'.

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